The good news that the flyer had been functional when Boti sent a message requesting some supplies from Skyward.

It was also the bad news.

Clay was desperately wishing he had flown as he clung to the seat, while Garnet looked equally ill and Whiteout fought the controls. Sand blanked out the view ahead, and wind tossed the flyer like it was nothing but a toy.

The trip hadn't started out this way.

They had started in Rekes, the sky clear and blue, with Whiteout helping the two aerobics loading up the flyer. Clay had suggested merely flying, but Garnet had pointed out that flying the whole way over with the supplies was not a pleasant thought. And since the flyer was up and running, why not take it?

Whiteout had agreed to pilot it, fitting better into the seat without a pair of wings. Clay and Garnet settled into the back, and as the flyer lifted off, everything seemed to be going well. They chatted the time away, and ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the Grand Ravine as they passed over. The river glittered like a line of sapphires against the orange-gold sands, and the dunes rolled towards the horizon like a frozen sea of earth.

And then the storm hit.

They had been flying lower, looking at the sights, only for the warnings on the flyer to start chiming, and a wall of sand to cover the horizon as they came around the side of a mesa.

"What-!" Garnet yelped, while Clay fluffed up in alarm.

"Hold on-" Whiteout warned, and tried to climb above the oncoming dust storm, but it was too late.

The winds and sand slammed into the flyer, sending it rocking and causing even more warnings to scream, and blanking out the windows.

"Oooohhhh I don't feel good," Garnet said, looking ill, as the flyer dropped alarmingly then rose just as suddenly.

Whiteout didn't look so good herself, but she fought down her nausea to wrestle the controls, swearing.

Clay heard some boxes clatter in the back and realized with a start that that the equipment wasn't tied down enough for a storm like this! He jumped up and nearly fell over again as the flyer lurched.

"What are you dooooo-ough," Garnet started to ask, then put their head in their hands as the flyer lurched once more.

"Just don't throw up," Whiteout called back, looking mildly green, "Because then I will and I don't want vomit on the controls."

"Don't SAY THAT," Garnet wailed, putting their face against the ground and hands over their ears.

"I'm just warning you!"

Clay only listened with half an ear as he fought his balance to move to the back to keep the supplies from falling. It was hard, with the flyer lurching alarmingly as Whiteout fought the winds for control, and his stomach roiled, but it wasn't impossible.

He braced himself and spread his wings to keep the precious cargo from falling and spilling, and braced himself against the boxes. They stopped wobbling alarmingly, but it was not easy work - and only made worse when what sounded like sand began to rattle in the air conditioning.

Whiteout swore again, and tied a piece of cloth around her beak, an impressive feat considering she never let go of the controls. "The filters are getting overwhelmed by all the sand - better put something on unless you want to start inhaling it!"

Garnet, still moaning queasily on the floor wrapped a blanket around their face, but Clay, holding up the equipment, had no recourse as grains of sand began to ping around the cabin. He coughed, hiding his beak in his shoulder in some hope of filtering out the grains. It did little to help, but at least it wasn't nearly as bad as being out in the storm.

And then as suddenly as it had started, the flyer shot out of the wall of sand and into sunshine.

Whiteout gained altitude as the flyer sped away from the wall of clouds, while Clay and Garnet blinked blearily in the sudden sun.

"We need a better weather radar on this thing," Whiteout said flatly as Clay eased himself back from holding the supplies steady.

"Agreed," Clay said, while Garnet moaned a vague agreement from the floor.